The Ideal State

It seems to me that the majority of the human race is continously striving to reach that ideal state of being, that place where an individual has accomplished all in life and has not a worry in the world. Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow determined the natural tendency innate within humans to reach Self-Actualization in the 70's. A theory which still influences much of psychology today - but is it really possible for an individual to reach such a state of mind where there are no worries, grievences and obstacles stacking ones way?

Let it be clear that i'm talking about reaching a certain state of mind where one is at peace with the world and him/herself. I am arguing that no matter how hard one might try, no matter how much work you do in trying to achieve this state and no matter what means you use to attain this goal - it will not and cannot happen. The proposition will turn to Buddhism and the affects of external environment.

Buddhism - boradly speaking for the purpose of this conversational blog - incorporates as one of it's main goals the ability to eradicate cravings and personal needs in order to reduce suffering and render the efects of suffering on rebirth and reincarnation. Essentially reaching an ideal state of being - something to which i think is unattainable through any measures - including religion.

We as humans have an innate desire, an innate passion which is goal-directed. We constantly feel the need to acquire a certain something - even if we do not know what that is. Before someone turns to Buddhism they have already craved to be given guidance in their lives and in my opinion in doing so, Buddhism only feeds that insatiable desire for a quest and knowledge of one's own existence. Buddhism then asserts that it is now to break down those innate desires for objects that the person has within them - and does so to eliminate suffering.

However, i see Buddhism as not breaking down those cravings, but merely hindering them, obstructing them and obscuring them from the individual's reality. For if one does not see what they can have one will not crave for it, desire for it and work towards it. It would seem to me that Buddhism rather than reflecting a true ideal state is conversly a distraction from the external world of pressures and reality that we all live in.